New Study Reveals History of Corpse Disposal in the Thames River Since Bronze Age

Over the last 200 years, numerous human bones have been recovered from the depths of the River Thames in England. Recent research indicates that a significant portion of these skeletons hails from the Bronze and Iron Ages. However, the reasons behind the deposition of these bodies in the river continue to puzzle experts.

A study published on January 28 in the journal Antiquity offers a detailed examination of radiocarbon dating conducted on 30 skeletons found in the Thames, aiming to uncover the timeframe and reasoning behind their placement in the river.

According to lead researcher Nichola Arthur, a curator at the Natural History Museum in London, many people, including local residents, are surprised to learn about the extensive recovery of human remains from the River Thames. “Skeletal remains have been discovered with some regularity across water bodies in northwestern Europe,” Arthur remarked, noting that “the number of human bones found in the Thames is particularly significant.”

Since the 19th century, researchers have been examining these skeletal finds from the Thames. An early hypothesis suggested that the remains could be linked to a battle involving Celts and Romans. However, by the late 20th century, experts proposed alternative theories suggesting that many skeletons could be the result of riverbank erosion, entombed victims, and those who drowned.

“The pressing question regarding these bones is how they ended up in the river,” Arthur explained. Her initial task involved generating numerous radiocarbon dates to accurately pinpoint when these bodies were interred.

By combining their new radiocarbon dates with 31 previously established dates, the researchers found that the remains date back from 4000 B.C. to A.D. 1800, covering nearly 6,000 years. Most of the bones belonged to the Bronze Age (2300 to 800 B.C.) and the Iron Age (800 B.C. to A.D. 43) and were predominantly located in the river’s upper regions.

“We can confidently state that these bones weren’t simply accumulating over time in the river,” Arthur noted. “There was likely significant activity during the Bronze and Iron Ages regarding these remains.”

While the exact reasons for the bodies’ placement remain uncertain, Arthur theorizes that this behavior could relate to a broader practice in northwestern Europe, where prehistoric peoples intentionally disposed of culturally significant remains in watery locations.

“This research has advanced previous discussions, but the funerary aspects of these remains still require thorough exploration,” stated Chris Knüsel, a bioarchaeologist at the University of Bordeaux in France, who has also studied the Thames remains but was not part of Arthur’s research.

Knüsel suggested that evidence might indicate alternative reasons behind the deposition of human remains in the Thames, including violent conflicts stemming from disputes over this vital river.

“Violent events are frequently observed in the context of prehistoric human remains found in water,” Arthur added, referencing instances such as bog bodies that showed signs of violent deaths, and mentioning “patterns of skeletal trauma found among the Thames remains.”

The investigation into the injuries on these bones will be the focus of a forthcoming study. “Analyzing how the Thames remains relate to these practices is an exciting next step in the research,” Arthur concluded.

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